A breakthrough has been made in the campaign to secure the return to Ireland of seven children forced to go back to an orphanage in Belarus five months ago.
The children had been living for up to three years with Irish families in a programme organised by the Burren Chernobyl Project.
However, last November the families were told by the director of Cherven orphanage near Minsk that the children had to go back.
A number of the Irish "parents" and the director of the Burren Chernobyl Project, Brother Liam O'Meara, travelled to Cherven in an unsuccessful attempt to get the children back to Ireland for Christmas.
Following five months of meetings with Government officials, Brother O'Meara said yesterday he was confident the project could bring the children back to Ireland by June or earlier.
Speaking from Belarus, Brother O'Meara said there had been significant improvements in the care of all the children at Cherven orphanage.
"The staff here are doing their best and have a real desire to help the children," he said.
He added that the seven children who had to return to the orphanage last November were "very happy" there.
Brother O'Meara said the problem about the care of children in the orphanage had to be solved, rather than focusing on looking after a few in Ireland. "Our eyes have been opened and the people here looking after the children must be given support."
Brother O'Meara said the Irish "families" of the children were hoping to adopt them.
Since November, a number of the children's Irish parents have spent time in Belarus caring for them.
They include 72-year-old Ms Teresa Flynn, from Miltown Malbay, Co Clare, who has been living in the orphanage since mid-January to be near nine-year-old Sergei, whom she had cared for in Ireland for three years.
Ms Flynn said yesterday: "I am enjoying every minute of it."
In a letter to friends, Ms Flynn described her arrival in January at the orphanage and how she gets up at 7 a.m. to make Sergei's bottles, and change and feed him.
Ms Flynn is due to return to Ireland later this month. She said she is confident Sergei will be able to travel to Ireland in June.
